Medium Sized Evil
by theonceandfutureprat
Summary: Drabble series.  Chapter 6: His secret was safe, but still the boys in Ealdor could tell that there was something different about Merlin.
1. Chapter 1

**Rachel here, kicking off with the first drabble of many, although updates probably won't be anything like regular. I wrote this one myself, but the idea was a joint thing. Imagine this with the same brilliant Bradley James face as 'Lance. A. Lot.' Reviewers will be presented with invisible chocolate cake (very low fat too, for obvious reasons).**

"What else?" Arthur asked, running out of patience. When he'd asked Merlin to tell him 'everything' about the magic, he hadn't expected it to take this _long. _Maybe Merlin should write it all down or something, however risky that would be.

"Well, I'm a dragonlord. The dragon's alive, but he has to obey me."

"You went on for ages about Lancelot and you never mentioned this? You told me I killed it!"

"I told you that you killed a lot of things, Arthur. And don't say it – it's 'him'. His name is Kilgharrah."

"Kill. Garrah. Oh, he sounds very friendly."


	2. Chapter 2

**Rachel again, and this one was 100% me. I need reviews like Arthur needs Merlin, although I'm at least not too proud to admit it. Thanks for reading.**

_(Haha! I have invaded. Only 99% Rachel now! Mwhahaha!)_

Arthur glared at the shimmering sheet of blue magic; it was an unnecessary risk. They were surrounded by eight men loyal to Morgana, and the knights in the hunting party couldn't be far off.

"Stop trying to protect me, Merlin," Arthur hissed. "It's completely inappropriate, and I can take them myself."

"It's completely appropriate! You're the prince, I'm just – "

"Don't you dare say that you're just a servant, Merlin, you're –"

"I'm the most powerful sorcerer in Albion, yes, and I have dedicated my life to protecting you, so stop being such a clotpole and get behind the shield!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Rachel again, although the idea for this came from Hannah. Because Morgause is always hissing, and she always seems about to come out with, "I'll show you how sssnakelike I can be!" **_(Jafar FTW!)_** Then Arthur's Aladdin **_(*drool*) _**and Merlin's the Genie and everything is wonderful. Reviewers will be showered with love. **_(Don't worry reviewers, I'll protect you.)_

Lancelot was growing nervous. Morgause's shield was strong: every spell Merlin had thrown at it had bounced off harmlessly. "Why do you keep trying different spells?" Lancelot asked.

"It's really lots of different shields," Merlin explained. "One to block each spell. I just have to find a spell she missed."

Gwaine said something Lancelot couldn't hear, and Merlin smiled. The next spell he cast went soaring through the shield and hit Morgause.

"Morgause!" called Morgana. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thithter," came the reply.

"What?"

Morgause's face was a picture of horror. "Thithter! He hath curthed me with a lithp!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Because he's Lancelot Du Lac - he was raised by the Lady of the Lake. In Merlin that's Freya, but usually it's Nimueh or a variation on her name, and Freya's too young to be anyone's mother. This one's completely mine. **_(It is you know, I saw her write it. And then I saw her eat another kit kat. :D ) _**Lies. I sent it to you on facebook, and I was actually eating an apple at the time. You know: fruit.**

They arrived too late: the spell was already completed. Morgause and Morgana smirked victoriously as the woman arose for the knights and Merlin to see.

_Nimueh_, Merlin realised, but kept silent. _But I killed her! How –? _

_Another impossibly beautiful woman I'm supposed to stay away from,_ Gwaine lamented in his head. _Why are all the most attractive women evil?_

"The woman from the caves," Arthur exclaimed after a moment of thought.

"Mother?" Lancelot asked, shock and confusion clear on his face.

_This could get complicated, _Gwaine thought to himself as he registered Nimueh instantly assuming a mask of vulnerability.


	5. Chapter 5

**Some angst, because Merlin's loyalty to Arthur knows no bounds. Still me. Reviewers will be loved forever.**

Arthur was dying, again. And again, the Old Religion would not accept Merlin's life in exchange. He was too important.

Any of the knights would volunteer in a second, but he couldn't bear to ask them. Couldn't bear to lose them. So Merlin did something that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

The man was a stranger to Merlin: old and lonely and sleeping peacefully. But still; he was innocent.

Arthur had recovered, and had been the golden king once more. Another secret weighed on Merlin's mind, kept so that Arthur could be blissfully ignorant, as ever.


	6. Chapter 6

**Because I can't imagine Merlin ever using magic to defend himself: not when Hunith was so adamant that he must keep it secret, and when he knew he might accidentally hurt them more than they deserved. Will, of course, has no such scruples. **

His secret was safe, but still the boys in Ealdor could tell that there was something different about Merlin. They used to taunt him for sport, their eyes alight with malicious laughter.

He repeated the words Hunith had taught him, whispering to himself. "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me."

They heard, and they threw sticks and stones at him after that.

He was fine, still, but he was even more fine when Will arrived, with awkwardly muttered words of comfort and the ready fist of a ten year old whose friend needed him.


End file.
